02 Mar Energy consumption in Latin America and the Caribbean with OLADE data: The flavor of who we are
I remember the day exactly: Monday, March 24. It was a cold, clear, and sunny morning. I was standing at the corner of “Amazonas and Mariana de Jesús” when a taxi finally came to my rescue, and I was able to ask:
“Mariscal Antonio José de Sucre Avenue?”
The taxi driver looked at me, puzzled, and said in a very cordial tone:
“Hop in; we’ll figure it out”
Once inside the taxi, we started chatting about the address. I told him the first thing that came to mind:
“That’s where OLADE is”
The driver responded:
“Let me think… OLADE… Isn’t that the white-and-blue building on the Occidental?”
“I think so,” I replied hesitantly.
It wasn’t until later that I learned that Mariscal Antonio José de Sucre Avenue is commonly known as “the Occidental.” That’s how my first day began as Hydrocarbons Coordinator at OLADE, the Latin American Energy Organization, whose headquarters are in Quito. I remember the moment well because, as I watched the streets go by, I thought, “Today is my birthday”.
Formally, the Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE) is described as “the political and technical support organization through which its Member States collaborate to achieve regional and subregional energy integration” (http://www.olade.org/). While this is a fitting vision for summits and high-level meetings, I offer a different perspective: OLADE serves as the official energy statistical reference for the region, enriched by the unique essence of Latin America and the Caribbean. This doesn’t diminish the valuable contributions of other organizations across Latin America, the Caribbean, and even North America, which excel in statistical work. Rather, it underscores OLADE’s distinctive role in chronicling our region’s recent history—not only through its data but also through its library, which preserves documents and articles that capture, in their own way, the ideological journeys that so often captivate our nations.
You, dear reader, might assume that an organization like the one I’m describing has a generous budget and at least 500 people working for it. But no, it’s a group of fewer than 50 people who multiply their efforts and stretch a genuinely tight budget. That’s why I say, “the flavor of who we are.” Are Latin America and the Caribbean any different? Clearly, in our region, it is the people who make the institutions, not the other way around.
One of the most interesting tools OLADE offers is the Economic-Energy Information System (SIEE). Through this database, it’s possible to access economic and energy data for Latin America and the Caribbean online. Let’s look at an example.
Using the region’s energy matrix, I constructed the indicators presented in the following table. It shows the growth of energy consumption in Latin America and the Caribbean over the past 44 years, by energy source. Naturally, this representation is a highly condensed abstraction of reality and serves only explanatory purposes. As usual, on this blog, I try to explain energy topics the way I would like complex issues explained to me—like telecommunications, where the only thing I know (with some luck) is how to “WhatsApp,” as Santi says.
Energy Consumption – Latin America and the Caribbean
Source: SIEE – OLADE.
What do these “little circles” tell us? Something we’ve known for a while: the region is a voracious consumer of oil, oil products, and natural gas. However, the details are where things get interesting:
The growth rate of natural gas consumption is higher than that of oil, meaning natural gas has gained significant ground in our region.
Firewood consumption has decreased—slightly, but it has decreased.
Biofuel consumption has increased; and
Something that will surely please many friends: the evolution of hydropower, geothermal, and other sources (what we might call “friendly renewables”) shows a noteworthy growth rate.
To wrap up, I’ll mention that this database is free, you just need to get in touch with the organization to access the information. Therefore, I invite you to explore this beloved OLADE, which, through years of constant daily effort, teaches us and reminds us of the true value of institutions.
S. Mauricio Medinaceli Monrroy
Kabul
March 2, 2015
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